How to clean exterior plastics in your car? When we wash our car, we often focus on how…
Plastic welding – how to save plastic in your car?
It might seem that welding is an activity reserved only for metals. However, it turns out that plastics can also be joined in this way using special devices. This type of repair is often used in the automotive industry. So if for some reason you have damaged the bumper, wheel arch, or other plastic element of your car, you have no reason to worry - such defects can be repaired without buying a new replacement element.
From this article you will learn:
- What is plastic welding;
- how to prepare an element for welding;
- how to weld plastic;
- how to comprehensively renovate a welded plastic element.
What plastic car parts can be welded?
Welding, or really welding, applies to most plastics. Before starting the repair, you need to find out what type of plastic the damaged element is made of. This is usually visible in a hidden place, such as the underside of the bumper. In the automotive industry, the most common material used is ABS.
As each plastic has different properties, the weld and welding temperature should be selected appropriately to the material.
What devices are there for welding plastic?
Hot Staplers
This is a stapler for plastic. It is used to embed metal staples into the material to strengthen it at the point of connection. This device is not necessary, but very helpful.
Plastic welding machine
You can buy it for several hundred zlotys, and it is a good idea to buy a set of welds for various plastics.
Soldering iron
In critical situations, if you are very desperate, you can use a soldering iron to weld plastic. However, do not expect an aesthetic joint, this is a good method in times of desperation.
Heat gun
If you manage to direct the air stream from the heat gun to the joined element and the weld, it will work similarly to that coming from the welding machine. The difference is in temperature regulation - the heat gun is very limited and imprecise in this respect, which may be an obstacle when welding elements that are supposed to look nice.
How to weld plastic?
When welding plastic, proceed as follows:
- Clean the connection area – it should be degreased and free from dirt.
- Sand the welding area, you can even make a small recess to make the joint more durable and deeper.
- Turn on the Hot Stapler and set the temperature of the device so that the staples melt into the plastic, but do not burn through it.
- Attach a metal to plastic staple to the Hot Stapler and place it at the junction of the joined surfaces. Wait a moment, pressing lightly until the staple sinks into the plastic. This will strengthen the joining surface.
- Cut off the wires left by the staples, protruding above the surface of the element being repaired.
Steps 3-5 can be skipped and go straight to welding, but the use of steel staples will definitely strengthen the element. Then you can proceed to the actual welding:
- Select the filler metal according to the type of plastic being welded.
- Turn on the plastic welder.
- Degrease the bonded surface.
- Direct the welding machine's heating nozzle to the joint and apply the filler metal to it at an angle of 45°. Wait until they both start to melt.
- Move the binder slowly over the joining surface, making sure that the elements melt slightly.
- Cut off the excess weld.
- Grind the weld, checking whether it is welded permanently.
Is welding plastic difficult?
Welding plastic It's not difficult, it requires some practice. Be careful not to burn yourself. It's best to do it in a well-ventilated room, as plastic fumes can be poisonous.
What cosmetics are useful after welding plastic elements?
If you welded something eye-catching, e.g. a car bumper, work on the aesthetics of the weld. You can correct any imperfections with sandpaper and putty.
- Buy special plastic putty. It is flexible after drying, so it will not crack.
- Sand the weld surface as smoothly as possible.
- Clean and degrease the element.
- Mix the putty with the hardener in accordance with the proportions recommended by the manufacturer until a homogeneous, single-colored mass is obtained.
- Apply putty to the joint and spread it smoothly with a trowel, with a slight allowance.
- After drying sand the putty with sandpaper, starting from grit 100 and ending with grit 1000-2000, depending on what effect you plan to achieve. After each sanding step, change the paper to 200, then 400, 600, 800 and finally 1000. The higher the paper rating, the smoother the surface you will get.
- Have the element painteda, or do it yourself if you can.
Hooray! You just saved several hundred zlotys on repairs bumper. If it was unvarnished, you can now treat it with a special black paint. Another option is to apply bumper spray, which will give the element a deep, black color.
